Brantley Gilbert released this week his newest single, “Stone Cold Sober,” which first appeared on the Platinum Edition of his most recent album, Just As I Am. The song, which Gilbert wrote with Dan Layus (formerly of Augustana) and Brett James, is an emotive and tightly-written expression of an attraction that’s not just liquor-fueled. “I let the whiskey talk / And baby it said too much / I got the feeling now / That it didn’t say enough,” Gilbert sings. While intimate moments brought on by a couple drinks are nothing new, it’s the raw realization that it wasn’t just whiskey-wishing for her.
Though Gilbert at times projects a hard exterior – we’ve done our fair share of referencing his brass-knuckle-laden tour microphone – it’s when he sheds the leather jacket that he truly shines, revealing a core that’s thoughtful and critical, an artist who isn’t afraid to bow his head and defer to greater wisdoms. Perhaps the bravado of songs like “Read Me My Rights” allow for the power of an introspective Gilbert, the anthemic and unifying “One Hell of An Amen,” Gilbert’s latest #1, balancing the uncertainty and turmoil of unreleased “You Promised” or stellar “Just As I Am.” Gilbert’s ability to genuinely and honestly be both makes him one of the most interesting artists in country music, and “Stone Cold Sober” further emphasizes those strengths.
The song goes to radio August 31.
Rating: 5/5